- The Format Snapshot: Delivery, Timing, and Open-Book Rules
- Numbers Worth Memorizing
- The 12-Chapter Content Map at a Glance
- Foundations: Why Study the Law and How the Legal System Works
- Federal Laws and Protected Categories
- FHA Provisions, Familial Status, and National Origin
- Section 504 and Disability Topics
- Liability, Tax Credit Properties, and Enforcement
- Making the Open-Book Format Work for You
- Retests, Vouchers, and Staying Current
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The FHC exam is online, nonproctored, and open-book, with a 2-hour limit and results shown immediately.
- NAHMA's public course manual lists 12 chapters; they are unweighted headings, not an official exam blueprint.
- Retest costs USD 85, requires at least 1 month between attempts, and the voucher expires after 3 weeks.
- Maintenance means 2 hours of fair-housing CE plus a USD 128 renewal fee each January.
The Format Snapshot: Delivery, Timing, and Open-Book Rules
Fair Housing Compliance (FHC) is a credential offered by the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA). The standard route is simple: complete the NAHMA FHC course, then take the examination. FHC is also a required course within NAHMA's separate NAHP program, so many affordable housing professionals encounter it as one step on a longer credentialing path. If you are brand new to the credential, start with What Is FHC Certification? for the big picture, then return to this page for the quick-reference version.
According to NAHMA's 2026 Retest Application Form, the exam works like this:
- Delivery: Prometric, taken online.
- Proctoring: Nonproctored.
- Reference materials: Open-book; course manuals and notes are permitted.
- Time limit: 2 hours.
- Calculator: Supplied within the exam environment.
- Results: Immediate.
Numbers Worth Memorizing
The table below collects every hard figure from NAHMA's published materials. Keep it handy, but note the caveats attached to the regional prices and results.
| Item | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Exam time limit | 2 hours | Online, nonproctored, open-book |
| Voucher validity | 3 weeks | Candidate vouchers expire after this window |
| Retest fee | USD 85 | At least 1 month between examinations |
| Retest processing | 7-10 days | Before the voucher is issued |
| Annual CE requirement | 2 hours | Must be fair-housing-focused |
| Annual renewal fee | USD 128 | CE form and payment due each January |
| Historical passes | 193 of 251 attempts | Through October 15, 2025; calculated 76.9% |
| Average passing score | 83% | Average among passing attempts, not a cutoff |
Course-and-exam package pricing varies by region. SAHMA's November 9, 2026 Jackson course listed USD 425 for members and USD 575 for nonmembers, while NEAHMA's February 11, 2026 course listed USD 549 for members and USD 729 for nonmembers. These are dated regional package prices, not a national standalone exam fee. For a full breakdown of what you might pay, see FHC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
The 12-Chapter Content Map at a Glance
NAHMA's public course manual (copyright 2022) outlines 12 chapter headings, corroborated by the NAHMA FHC Student Slides. These are preparation curriculum headings, not weighted exam domains, so do not assume every chapter carries equal exam coverage. NAHMA's October 2025 committee packet also records that the manual is being rewritten and reorganized, so rely on whatever updates your current course supplies. The sections below group the chapters into logical clusters. A more detailed walkthrough lives in FHC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 12 Content Areas.
| # | Chapter Heading |
|---|---|
| 1 | Why We Study Fair Housing Law |
| 2 | How Our Legal System Works |
| 3 | Principal Federal Fair Housing Laws |
| 4 | Protected Categories under the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 |
| 5 | Key Provisions of the Fair Housing Act |
| 6 | Special Issues Regarding Familial Status under the Fair Housing Act |
| 7 | Special Issues Regarding National Origin |
| 8 | Key Provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 |
| 9 | Special Issues Regarding Persons with Disabilities |
| 10 | Special Issues Regarding Liability |
| 11 | Information for Tax Credit Properties |
| 12 | Enforcement of Civil Rights Laws |
Foundations: Why Study the Law and How the Legal System Works
Why We Study Fair Housing Law
This opening chapter frames the purpose of the credential: housing providers, particularly in affordable housing, operate under civil rights obligations that shape daily decisions.
- Understand the connection between fair housing law and everyday property operations such as marketing, applications, and resident relations.
- Recognize that compliance is a professional expectation, which is why NAHMA builds it into its credentialing pathway.
- Expect this material to be conceptual rather than heavy on citations.
How Our Legal System Works
This chapter gives context for how statutes, regulations, agencies, and courts interact. Candidates who skip it often struggle later when enforcement and liability questions assume that vocabulary.
- Know the difference between a statute, a regulation, and agency guidance.
- Be comfortable with basic terms for how complaints and cases move through the system.
- Use your open-book manual to confirm definitions rather than relying on memory.
Federal Laws and Protected Categories
Principal Federal Fair Housing Laws
This chapter surveys the major federal laws that apply to housing providers. For an FHC candidate, the key skill is knowing which law applies to which situation.
- Distinguish the Fair Housing Act from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; both feature prominently throughout the course.
- Understand that some obligations flow from the property's funding sources and program rules in addition to general civil rights law.
- Be able to explain, in plain language, what each principal law is designed to prevent.
Protected Categories under the Fair Housing Act and Section 504
The chapter title itself pairs the Fair Housing Act with Section 504, which signals that you should compare how each law defines who is protected rather than memorizing one list.
- Memorize the Fair Housing Act's protected categories and be ready to recognize them in scenario wording.
- Note where Section 504's protection of persons with disabilities overlaps with and differs from the Fair Housing Act.
- Practice spotting which category a fact pattern implicates, since scenarios rarely name the category outright.
Key Takeaway
Build a two-column note in your manual margins: one column for Fair Housing Act coverage, one for Section 504 coverage. Because the exam is open-book, a pre-built comparison saves precious minutes within the 2-hour limit.
FHA Provisions, Familial Status, and National Origin
Key Provisions of the Fair Housing Act
This chapter covers what the Act actually prohibits and requires in housing operations. Expect application-style thinking: given a leasing, advertising, or occupancy scenario, is the conduct permitted?
- Review prohibited practices across the resident lifecycle, from advertising and application through tenancy and termination.
- Pay attention to how discriminatory intent and discriminatory effect can both create problems.
- Flag every definition in the manual; scenario questions often turn on a single defined term.
Special Issues Regarding Familial Status
Familial status gets its own chapter because occupancy and family-related policies are a frequent source of complaints on residential properties.
- Understand how policies affecting households with children can raise fair housing concerns.
- Review occupancy standards and how they interact with the Act.
- Look for the manual's discussion of housing designated for older persons, a classic area of nuance.
Special Issues Regarding National Origin
National origin issues often surface in screening, communication, and documentation practices.
- Study how language, citizenship, and immigration-related practices can lead to national origin concerns.
- Consider how consistent screening criteria protect both applicants and the property.
- Review the manual's treatment of limited English proficiency considerations in resident communications.
These three chapters form the operational heart of the course. If you want to gauge how demanding they are relative to the rest, How Hard Is the FHC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 offers perspective on where candidates tend to feel pressure.
Section 504 and Disability Topics
Key Provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 prohibits disability discrimination in programs receiving federal financial assistance, which is why it matters so much in affordable housing.
- Understand why federal funding triggers Section 504 obligations for many NAHMA members.
- Review the accessibility and nondiscrimination duties the manual attributes to Section 504.
- Compare these duties to those under the Fair Housing Act to avoid blending the two.
Special Issues Regarding Persons with Disabilities
This chapter tackles the practical questions that come up most often on properties: requests from residents with disabilities and how a provider should respond.
- Know the distinction between a reasonable accommodation (a change in rules, policies, or services) and a reasonable modification (a physical change to the premises).
- Review who typically bears the cost of each, as presented in your course materials.
- Understand how to handle verification of a disability-related need without overreaching.
- Be ready for scenarios involving assistance animals, parking, and unit transfers.
Liability, Tax Credit Properties, and Enforcement
Special Issues Regarding Liability
This chapter addresses who can be held responsible when discrimination occurs and why management decisions carry legal weight.
- Study how owners, management companies, and staff can each face exposure.
- Understand the role of training, written policies, and consistent procedures in reducing risk.
- Review how actions by employees or agents can create liability for the organization.
Information for Tax Credit Properties
Because many NAHMA members manage tax credit properties, the course includes a dedicated chapter on how fair housing obligations intersect with that program.
- Understand that tax credit properties have program requirements alongside fair housing duties.
- Watch for areas where program rules and fair housing obligations must be reconciled, such as screening and student or occupancy rules.
- Remember that this chapter is specific to the affordable housing setting, which is a distinguishing feature of the credential.
Enforcement of Civil Rights Laws
The closing chapter explains how complaints are investigated and resolved and what consequences follow findings of discrimination.
- Review which agencies receive and process complaints.
- Know the general range of remedies and penalties the manual describes.
- Understand how a provider should respond when a complaint or inquiry arrives.
These final chapters tie everything together: what the laws require, who is responsible, and what happens when something goes wrong. Candidates preparing for careers in affordable housing management often find this practical framing useful beyond the exam itself, a point explored further in FHC Jobs and Is the FHC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.
Making the Open-Book Format Work for You
An open-book, nonproctored exam changes how you should prepare. The goal is not rote memorization; it is speed and accuracy in locating and applying the right rule. A short, FHC-specific plan helps:
Foundations and Federal Laws
- Read the chapters on why we study fair housing, the legal system, and principal federal laws.
- Build your Fair Housing Act versus Section 504 comparison sheet early, since later chapters keep returning to it.
Fair Housing Act Provisions and Special Issues
- Cover key provisions, familial status, and national origin.
- Tab and annotate definitions and prohibited practices in your manual.
Section 504 and Disability
- Spend the most time here; accommodation and modification scenarios reward practice.
- Work scenario questions and review explanations for anything you missed.
Liability, Tax Credit, and Enforcement
- Finish the remaining chapters and revisit your weakest areas.
- Run a full timed practice session to confirm you can finish comfortably inside 2 hours.
For a fuller preparation roadmap, see FHC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. And because the exam is open-book, remember that permitted materials are your course manuals and notes; confirm the current rules in your voucher instructions before test day.
Key Takeaway
Because the manual is being reorganized, your tabs and notes should follow the version supplied with your current course, not an older printout. Chapter numbers may shift even if the topics stay familiar.
Retests, Vouchers, and Staying Current
If You Need a Retest
NAHMA's retest process has several moving parts worth knowing before you ever sit for the first attempt:
- The retest fee is USD 85.
- At least 1 month must pass between examinations.
- After you submit the retest application, processing takes 7-10 days before the voucher is issued.
- Candidate vouchers expire after 3 weeks, so schedule your sitting promptly once the voucher arrives.
Because of the 1-month gap and the processing time, a missed attempt can set you back several weeks. Planning your first attempt carefully is far more efficient than relying on a retest. The scheduling mechanics are covered in more detail in FHC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Annual Maintenance
Holding the credential is not a one-time event. Annual maintenance requires 2 hours of fair-housing-focused continuing education and a USD 128 renewal fee, with the CE form and payment due each January. Put the deadline on your calendar early; it arrives right after the holidays.
Prerequisites and Eligibility
For questions about who can enroll and whether any prerequisites apply, consult FHC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify, and verify details directly with NAHMA or your regional affiliate, since regional course providers may set their own registration processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. According to NAHMA's 2026 Retest Application Form, the exam is delivered through Prometric as an online, nonproctored, open-book examination with a 2-hour limit. Course manuals and notes are permitted.
The reviewed public NAHMA materials do not state a current question count or a numeric passing threshold. Results are immediate, so you will know the outcome right after finishing. Check with NAHMA or your course instructor for any current details they supply.
The 76.9% figure is a calculated pass ratio from 193 passes among 251 attempts through October 15, 2025. The 83% figure is the average score among passing attempts. Neither is a required passing score or a current pass rate.
The retest fee is USD 85, and at least 1 month must pass between examinations. After your retest application, processing takes 7-10 days before the voucher is issued, and the voucher then expires after 3 weeks.
Each year you must complete 2 hours of fair-housing-focused continuing education and pay a USD 128 renewal fee. The CE form and payment are due each January.
Keep this cheat sheet bookmarked as a fast reference, then pair it with the deeper guides linked above. When you are ready to test yourself on scenario-style questions covering all 12 chapter areas, head to the FHC practice exam site and start drilling.